Will Courtenay has finalized his anticipated transfer to the McLaren Formula 1 organization, stepping into the new capacity of sporting director, following official permission to depart his previous role at Red Bull.
The McLaren squad had previously declared Courtenay’s appointment in 2024; however, the British national could not secure an early release from his agreement before 2025 and thus continued as Red Bull’s lead strategist.
Initially, Red Bull intended for Courtenay to observe the conclusion of his contract under a period of gardening leave, set to conclude in mid-2026, but he has since managed to accelerate his departure to commence with the new year.
On LinkedIn, Courtenay verified his delayed integration into McLaren, where he will operate under the supervision of racing director Randeep Singh.
Courtenay shared, “Having dedicated 22 years to Red Bull Racing, with the final 15 serving as their head of race strategy, I am delighted to announce I am now embarking on a fresh endeavor, taking on the role of Sporting Director with the McLaren Racing Formula 1 Team.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB21, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL39, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL39
Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images
He continued, “I wish to extend my profound gratitude to all my colleagues at Red Bull. I forged numerous strong friendships there and anticipate crossing paths with many of you within the paddock. It has been a truly remarkable period of over two decades.”
“However, I am now eager to assimilate into my new position and team, and ideally cultivate many new acquaintances, while I exert my utmost effort to assist McLaren in sustaining its recent achievements in the forthcoming seasons.”
Courtenay’s exit contributes to a series of personnel changes at Red Bull, a list that has featured Adrian Newey, Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, and Jonathan Wheatley within the last year, indicating an ongoing shift in leadership within the organization.
Gianpiero Lambiase, Red Bull’s head of racing, is anticipated to undertake expanded responsibilities in 2026, as the squad aims for internal promotions, notwithstanding the reported interest from Williams and Aston Martin in securing his expertise for a significant position.
